Wednesday Apple Rumors: Apple TV Set in Early Testing

Several prototypes have been developed with Asian partners

Tryouts: Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has developed several television set prototypes and is currently testing them with its Asian manufacturing partners, the Wall Street Journal notes. Unnamed sources indicated that Apple is collaborating with Foxconn and Sharp on the new television set. While speculation has swirled for several years that Apple was preparing to launch a TV set, with some analysts predicting its debut next year, the sources said the device was in the “early stage of testing” and wasn’t a “formal project” at this point. However, product testing does not mean that Apple will ultimately release the TV set. Competition among television set makers is already so fierce that some makers are leaving the market as prices continue to fall. If Apple does launch its own TV, it will deepen its competition with Samsung, one of the world’s largest TV makers and already a smartphone and tablet rival.

Falling Out of Favor: Tablets like Apple’s iPad and those running Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android aren’t just hurting sales of desktop computers and laptops, they are also crushing sales of dedicated e-book readers. the Los Angeles Times notes. Powered by Amazon‘s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Kindle and Barnes & Noble‘s (NYSE:BKS) Nook, e-book reader sales soared from one million in 2008, to 23.2 million in 2011. However, a study by IHS iSuppli projects that e-book reader sales have peaked and will plunge 36% to 14.9 million units in 2012 due to rising interest in tablet computers, which can double as e-book readers. Looking forward, IHS iSuppli expects the trend to worsen for e-book readers, with sales dropping 27% in 2013. In 2016, the research firm estimates that just 7.1 million e-book readers will be sold. A IHS iSuppli analyst called the sudden rise and subsequent collapse of e-book readers “virtually unheard of” in consumer electronics. Possibly realizing the extremely short life-cycle of e-book readers, Amazon and Barnes & Noble have developed tablet versions of their original e-book readers, aimed at competing with the iPad.

Piling On: Samsung has launched a guerrilla marketing campaign in Australia mocking the recent debacle with Apple’s maps app, CNET noted. This week, Apple moved quickly to correct a cartographic error in its new maps app after Australian police warned drivers not to use it to find the southeastern city of Mildura, which the app placed 43 miles away from its correct location. The app led drivers into a national park where some became stranded and required rescue. Samsung has put up a mud-covered vehicle surrounded by camping supplies in downtown Sydney, with a sign that reads: “Oops, should have gotten a Samsung Galaxy S III. Get navigation you can trust.” Recent Samsung ads have slammed Apple products for having less features than competing devices.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.